Internal-combustion engine.



s. J. SYDNEY. INTERNAL" COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1912.

I Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

S. J. SYDNEY.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1912.

' 1,086,243. Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED s'r 'rns PATENT: onrron.

SIDNEY J. SYDNEY, OF PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD '10 GEORGE W. SNYDER AND ONE-THIRD TO GEORGE A. GALE, BOTH OF' PHILADEL- PHILA, PENNSYLVANIA.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

= & Patented Feb. 3, 1914,

Application filed November 21, 1912. 'Serial No. 732,761.

art to which it appertains to make and use the same;

My invention relates to improvements in internal combusion engines, and it consists in the constructions, combinations and arra'ngements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved ignition device adapted for efficie'nt'use with all types of internal combustion engines, and'which can be readily adjusted for timin the ignition. I

A further object of iny invention is to pro.-

vide an "improved ignition device for in-- ternal combustion engines,- which Will insure a more positive and certain ignition than has been possible in previousconstructions.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in the several views :'--Figure 1 is anaxial section of the power cylinder of a twocycle engine, with one embodiment of my inventionapplied thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailsection on the line 2,-2 of Fig.

' 1; and Fig. 3 is an axial section of the powerylinder of a four-cycle engine, with my in- I vention applied thereto.

' 'connnunicatingJ Referringto the drawings, 1 indicates a small auxiliary cylinder carried by the power cylinder 2 of a two-cycle engine, and with, the compression end of the latter y a duct '3 controlled by a valve 4; an auxiliary piston 5 being shownatt'ac'hed to the engine piston 6 for compressin a fluid in said auxiliary'cylinder 1.

. The cy inder 1 ispreferably provided with afcheck valve 1* for permitting the entrance 0 air. v a 1 When the intake is throttled or cut oil during one orfmore reciprocations of the powerlpiston', as by a governor, the gas supply .-froin,the ower cylinder'2 to the compression cylin er 1 may be in so attenuated a conditioif'as tobe insuliicient indens ty to have its temperature raised to the ignition polnt of the explosive mixture;

therefore, the valve 1 is employed for ad- 1 mitting under such conditions a sufficient quantity of air to the compression cylinder" 1 to provide a suflicient density'for inspring a temperature-upon" compression in said' of the ex cylinder above the ignition point plosive mixture.

A lever 7 is pivoted at 8 on carried by the auxiliary cylinder '1, and is provided with a forked end for actuatingly I engaging a head 10 on the stem' 11 of-said valve 4; a spring 12 being secured under tension to said lever. 7 for, yi'el dingly maintaining the valve4 seated in closed position. An adjustable stop 'l3 is provided with a projection 14 slidably mounted in a,

slot 15 in said lever 7 a-thumb 'screw 16 be- 1 ing provided for lockingsaidstop 1 3 in its several adjusted positions fonngagement v by an arm, 17 carried by the auxiliary piston 5. p The parts are preferabl""so con-- structed that the stop 13 will" 'shifted from the path of said arm17 when the lever 7 has been. swung to fully open the valve 4.

The above described construction pro-.

vides a compact construction,- inwhich the 'valve 4 and its actuating mechanism are carried directly by the auxiliary cylinder 1; thereby constituting a' self-contained device adapted to be conveniently secured in posi tion on the engine cylinder, 1

In the operation of the above described de' vice, the auxiliaryiston 5 will be forced outwardly during t e power stroke ofthe en ine piston 6, and expand the) gaseous fluid in the relatively small auxiliary cylin der 1 to a pressure below that in the engine cylinder 2; thereby causing the excess of pressure in said engine cylinder to open the spring-seat ed valve 4 and fill said; auxiliary cylinder with the gaseous products from V the engine cylinder during the power stroke.

If the supply of explosive mixture to the engine cylmder 2 should be excessively throttled or cut off, air would'be drawn into the auxiliary cylinder 1 through the check valve 1 during the out stroke of the auxiliary piston.

'- During the compression steaks of the en gine piston 6, the fluid in th e auxiliary cylinder 1 will be"-compre's s ed'.by"the auxiliary piston 5 to the ignition point of the explosive charge, and the valve 4 will be maintained firmly closed by the excessof pressure in said auxiliary cylinder; such excess of compression in the auxiliary cylinder being readily insured by the small clearance space at the upper end of said cylinder. Tlhe'compression cylinder 1 is arranged to compress air to the ignition point of the explosive mixture; hence, when compressing the hot gases of the previous explosion it will raise said hot gases to a temperature above the ignition point of theexplosive mixture, and thus insure a large factorot certainty in the ignition during normal operation of the engine. The arm 17 then engages the stop 13 and swings the lever 7 to open the valve 4 fordischarging a .jet of hot gaseous fluid from the auxiliary cylinder 1 at'high velocity through the com pressed charge in the engine cylinder thereby insuring a positive and efiicicnt ignition of said charge. In my improved construction, the pressure in the auxiliary cylinder 1 maintains the valve 4 firmly seated to prevent all leakage losses of the high pressure fluid from said cylinder; thereby-avoiding the irregular and inefficient action found to occur in previous construction, and insuring a positive and certain ignition under all operative conditions.

Referring especially to Fig. 3 of the drawings. 18 indicates a small auxiliary cylinder carried by the power cylinder 19 of a? four cycle engine, and communicating with the con'ipression end of the latter by a duct 20 controlled by a valve 21; said valve being yieldingly maintained seated by a spring 22 connected to a bent lever 23, which latter is pivoted on a bracket 24. on the auxiliary cylinder 18 in position to actuatingly engage a head on the valve stem 26.

A piston 27 is mounted in the auxiliary cylinder 18 for compressing a fluid therein to the ignition point of the explosive charge; said piston acting to control a port 28 between said cylinders 18 and 19. A lever 29 is fulcrumed M30 and connected by a link 31 with said auxiliary piston 27; said lever 29 being connected by an intermediate link 32 with an arm 33 pivoted at 340m an adjustable lever fulcrumed at 36.

A cam 37 is driven from the main engine shaft by a two to one gearing, or other usual means, and adapted to engage a roller 38 on the arm 33 to swing the latter into engagement with the bent lever 23 for shifting the valve 21 to open position; such swing of saidarm 33 acting also to actuate the auxiliary piston 27. The roller 38 is maintained in engagement: with the cam 37 by a spring 39 connected under tension to the lever 29: the lever 35 being readily adjusted about its fulcrum 3G to vary such engagement between said cam and roller.

In the operation of a four-cycle engine, the roller 38 will travel on the low semicircular portion of the cam 37 during the exhaust and admission strokes of the engine piston. During the compression stroke the roller will ride up the high portion 40 of the cam, thereby swingingthe arm to compress a gaseous fluid in the auxiliary cylinder 18 and finally to engage the bent lever 23 to suddenly open the valve 21 upon completion of the compression stroke. Dur ing the power stroke, the roller 38 will initially ride over the high segment 41 of the cam 37, and during the last half of the stroke travel over the portion 4.2 of said cam to the low portion of the latter. In this engagement of the roller 38 during the power stroke of the engine, a portion of the products of combustion will be forced from the engine cylinder past the spring-seated valve 21 into the auxiliary cylinder 18, and the pressure in said two cylinders will be further equalized upon opening of the port QSby the auxiliary cylinder 27 at the final portion of the power stroke.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory constructions, but changes could be made within the spirit and scope ofmy invention.

I claim 1. In combination with an internal combustion engine, an auxiliary cylinder communicating with'the engine cylinder, a, piston for compressing a fluid in said auxiliary cylinder to the ignition point of theex plosive charge, aspring-seated valve 1n such communication adapted to be maintained closed by the pressure in said auxiliary cylinder, and actuating means for shifting said valvcto open position. 2. In combination with an internal combustion engine, an auxiliary cylinder communicating with the engine cylinder, a pis ton for compressing the fluid in said auxiliary cylinder to the ignition point of the explosive charge, a spring-seated valve in such communication. adapted to open under excess of pressure in the engine cylinder and to be maintained closed by an excess of pressure in said auxiliary cylinder, adjustable means for positively shitting said valveto open position, and means carried by said piston for actuatingly engaging said adjustable means.

In testimony whereof, I ture, in presence of two witnesses.

SIDNEY J. SYDNEY.

Vitnesses A. B. TOMLINSON, B. F. HALDEMAN. 

